Floating Inner Door Of A Combination Washer/Dryer

ABSTRACT

A combination washer/dryer (20) has a cabinet (12) with an opening enabling access inside the cabinet (12). A drum and tub assembly (14) is positioned within the cabinet (12). A washing circuit (40) washes items in the drum and tub assembly (14). A drying circuit (50) dries the items in the drum and tub assembly (14). A door assembly (16) includes an outer door (18) and a floating inner door (20) sealing the drum and tub assembly (14).

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a door assembly for an appliance such as a washer, washer/dryer combo and, more particularly, to a door assembly including an inner and outer door.

BACKGROUND

In existing washers and washer/dryer combo machines, there is a problem with accumulation of lint and detergent along the bellows seal. The bellows is a seal between the door and the movable tub and drum assembly. The bellows is subjected to lint and detergent and both accumulate on the bellows. Thus, the bellows has a tendency to wear out due to the accumulation. Also, in some type of commercial washers, the door is attached to tub. Thus, the door moves with the suspension of the tub and drum assembly. This is not ideal for customers since the door will be moving with the suspension; however, it does eliminate the need for a bellow.

Accordingly, it is an object of the disclosure to provide a door that eliminates the bellows seal between the door and the drum and tub assembly. The present disclosure provides a door assembly with an inner and outer door to enable elimination of the bellows seal. The door assembly may include a stationary or floating inner door meshing with a tub opening access configuration. The door assembly may include a suspension between the inner and outer doors. The door assembly may include an alignment and support member assisting in coupling the inner door with the cabinet. The door assembly may include an active latch mechanism pulling the inner door shut.

SUMMARY

According to a first object of the present disclosure, a combination washer/dryer comprises a cabinet with an opening enabling access inside the cabinet. A drum and tub are positioned with the cabinet. A washing circuit for washing items in the drum and tub is positioned within the cabinet. A drying circuit for drying the items in the drum and tub is likewise within the cabinet. A door including an outer door and a floating inner door seals with the drum and tub assembly. A suspension couples the inner and outer doors together. The suspension may include a pivot that enables the inner door to teeter with respect to the outer door. A biasing member forces a hook on the inner door away from the outer door. Also, the suspension may include a plate mounted on the inner door and one or more pluralities of biasing connectors coupled with the plate. Thus, the inner door, with the plate, slides with respect to the outer door to enhance connection of the hook with the cabinet. The inner door may hang off center with respect to the outer door when the door assembly is open and the door assembly is connected with the cabinet. The suspension further may include a plurality of alignment pins coupled between the plate and the outer door to compensate for twisting force on the inner door and transfer the force to the plate. An alignment member is on the inner door to support the weight of the inner door and prohibiting lateral and longitudinal forces from being applied to a door latch. The inner door includes a hook and the cabinet includes a hook receiver. The hook receiver includes an aperture and one or more ramps adjacent the aperture to lead the hook into the aperture to compensate for misalignment. A motion limiter prohibits undue motion when opening the outer door while enabling motion of the inner door during a wash cycle. A latch is on the door to secure the inner door catch. The latch may include an action to pull the catch to a closed position. The latch may include a handle with a hook to pull the inner door towards the catch to seal the inner door with the hub and tub. An alignment device may be coupled with the outer door to position the inner door to enhance coupling of the inner door with a cabinet. The alignment device includes a cam coupled with a linkage which, in turn, couples with a finger arm. The finger arm moves the inner door.

According to an additional object of the disclosure, a door assembly for an appliance, such as a washer, washer/dryer combination or the like comprises a door assembly for a cabinet. The door assembly includes an outer door and a floating inner door sealing a drum and tub inside of the cabinet. The inner door is floatably coupled with the outer door via a suspension. The suspension may include a pivot that enables the inner door to teeter with respect to the outer door. A biasing member forces a hook on the inner door away from the outer door. Also, the suspension may include a plate mounted on the inner door and one or more pluralities of biasing connectors coupled with the plate. Thus, the inner door, with the plate, slides with respect to the outer door to enhance connection of the hook with the cabinet. The inner door may hang off center with respect to the outer door when the door assembly is open and the door assembly is connected with the cabinet. The suspension further may include a plurality of alignment pins coupled between the plate and the outer door to compensate for twisting force on the inner door and transfer the force to the plate. An alignment member is on the inner door to support the weight of the inner door and prohibiting lateral and longitudinal forces from being applied to a door latch. The inner door includes a hook and the cabinet includes a hook receiver. The hook receiver includes an aperture and one or more ramps adjacent the aperture to lead the hook into the aperture to compensate for misalignment. A motion limiter prohibits undue motion when opening the outer door while enabling motion of the inner door during a wash cycle. A latch is on the door to secure the inner door catch. The latch may include an action to pull the catch to a closed position. The latch may include a handle with a hook to pull the inner door towards the catch to seal the inner door with the hub and tub. An alignment device may be coupled with the outer door to position the inner door to enhance coupling of the inner door with a cabinet. The alignment device includes a cam coupled with a linkage which, in turn, couples with a finger arm. The finger arm moves the inner door.

Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

DRAWINGS

The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a washing appliance in accordance with the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view with the door in an opened position.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a door in accordance with the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a door in accordance with the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the door of FIG. 4 .

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the door of FIG. 4 .

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a door in accordance with the disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an alignment member on the door in accordance with the disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an alignment hook in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a latching device of the door according to the disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a latching device in accordance with the disclosure.

FIG. 12A-D are schematic views of an alignment device in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 13A-E are schematic views of an alignment device in accordance with the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Turning to the figures, a washing appliance, such as a washing machine or a combo washer/dryer is illustrated and designated with the reference numeral 10. The machine includes a cabinet 12 that houses a drum and tub assembly 14. The door assembly 16 covers egress into the drum and tub assembly 14. The door assembly 16 includes an outer door 18 and an inner door 20. The outer door 18 secures to the cabinet via a hinge.

The inner door 20 includes a catch to enable locking of the inner door with the cabinet 12 during operation. The inner door 20 includes a seal 22 that provides a thermal seal with the drum and tub assembly 14. The inner door 20 has a step configuration in cross-section that enables mating with the drum and tub assembly opening 26. The contours 24 interact with the opening 26 to enable sealing of the inner door 20 in the opening 26 which eliminates the need for a bellow seal. The inner door 20 includes a hook mechanism 30 that secures the inner door with the tub and drum assembly 14.

The washing appliance includes a washing circuit 40 as is conventional in the art. Additionally, the machine 10 includes a drying circuit 50 with a blower, heater and the like as is like that described in Applicant's U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/318,892, filed May 12, 2021 entitled Door For A Washing Appliance. Alternatively, a conventional drying circuit could be used.

The door assembly of FIG. 3 includes the outer door 18 and inner door 20. As can be seen, the inner door hinge in the embodiment is a hook 32 that acts to attached the inner door 20 with the tub and drum assembly 14. A latch 32 extends from the inner door to secure the other side of the inner door 20 with the tub and drum assembly 14.

As illustrated in FIG. 3 , a door suspension 60, including a pivot 36, may be positioned between the outer door 18 and the inner door 20. The pivot 36 includes a lever bar 38 that pushes against the inner door 20. The inner door 20 is free to slide along the lever bar 38 and is free to break contact with the lever bar 38. The bracket 38 includes a biasing member 42, such as a compression spring, on one of its ends. Thus the pivot 36 enables the lever bar 38 to teeter with respect to the outer door. When the outer door 18 is open and at rest, the lever bar 38 is suspended by the pivot 36, and the inner door 20 is suspended by springs 70 in FIG. 4 . The bracket 38, via the biasing member or spring 42, pushes the side of the floating door 20 with the hook 32 further away from the face of the outer door 18. This bias member 42 ensures that when the outer door 18 is closing, the door hook 32 sticks out more and easily meshes with the door receiver. Once this is accomplished, the bracket 38 levels out and enhances the door latching between the drum and tub assembly 14 and the latch 34.

Turning to FIGS. 4-6 , another door suspension 60 is illustrated. The suspension 60 includes a sliding plate 62 attached to the inner door 20. The outer door 18 may include a plate 64 secured to the inner door 18. The plate 64 has a design that mirrors the sliding plate 62. The plate 64 includes a plurality of retention members 66 that secure springs 68 between the plate 64 and sliding plate 62. Also, the outer door includes springs 70 that are secured with the rod 74. The springs 70 include a bushing 72 that secures with a rod 74 on the inner door 20 and plate 64. Likewise, plate 62 includes retention members 66 to receive the other ends of the spring 68. The sliding plate 62 has a hub with a plurality of spokes that include the retaining members 76.

In use, the inner door 20 floats with respect to the outer door 18. The springs 68 and the springs 70 enable the floating of the inner door. When the inner door is secured with the drum and tub assembly 14, the inner door is enabled to slide vertically up and down as well as laterally side to side because it is not fixably mounted but instead suspended by springs 70. During this motion, the sliding plate 62 will slide against the inner surface of the outer door 18. The inner door 20 is also enabled to move towards or away from the outer door 18. It will move in this way to match the motion of the drum and tub assembly 14, to which it is secured. The freedom to move laterally and vertically also is present while the door is being closed. Thus, as the inner door hook 32 is being secured with the tub and hub assembly, the inner door 20 easily slides laterally and vertically with respect to the outer door 18. Thus, this compensates for the off center positioning of the inner door 20 with respect to the outer door 18 as well as alignment of the inner door 20 with the drum and tub assembly 14.

Accordingly, the inner door 20 is positioned off center with respect to the outer door 18. Thus, as the doors close and the door hook 32 catches, the floating inner door 20 needs to slide along the inside face of the outer door 18. Thus, the sliding plate 62 enables this to occur so that as the inner door 20 is positioned onto the hub drum and tub assembly 14, the inner door slides with respect to the outer door. Accordingly, the springs 70 do not buckle and the inner door 20 is easily moved laterally. Also, during washing, the tub bounces around in the cabinet. The inner door 20 thus is able to move relative to the outer door 18.

Alignment pins 80 are positioned between the inner door 20 and outer door 18. The alignment pins 80 include a shaft 82 with a head 84 that fits into a countersink 86 in the sliding plate 62. The other end of the rod 82 is positioned in a boss 92 that includes a sleeve 90. As the inner door 20 moves with respect to the outer door 18, the inner door 20 can still rotate a few degrees acting as a ball joint with the mushroom head 84 positioned in the countersink 86. The outer end 88 of the shaft is slightly chamfered and slides in the sleeve 90 of the boss 92 acting as a linear bushing. Two alignment pins are illustrated and positioned at the top section of the inner door. Due to the door bowl design, this is the deepest part of the inner door and allows for the most motion. Thus, the alignment pins 80 enables twisting forces on the inner door 20 to be transferred to the floating door slide plate 62.

Turning to FIG. 7 , the door may include a motion limiter 100. The motion limiter 100 is secured between the outer door 18 and inner door 20. The limiter may include brackets 102, 104 enabling a coupling device 106 to be positioned between the two. The coupling device may be a link, flexible or rigid, or the like that enables play between the doors. Thus, the link 106 prevents too much motion when opening the door but allows the motion of the inner door 20 during the wash cycle. Additionally, a link 106 with balls on both ends could be positioned into joints so that the doors 18, 20 can move freely with respect to one another.

FIG. 8 provides an alignment feature 108 for the door 16. The alignment feature 108 includes a plate 110 with a pair of alignment nubs 112. The nubs 112 are positioned in aperture 114 in plate 116. The plate 116 is secured on the tub. The plate 116 also includes an aperture 118 to receive the latch 34. When the nubs 112 are positioned in the apertures 114 and the inner door 20 is closed, the nubs 112 support the weight of the inner door 20. This prevents up and down as well as side to side forces from being transferred to the door latch 34. The nubs 112 also enhance the alignment of the latch 34 when it enters the apertures 118 so that the nubs 112 are positioned into the countersink holes 114.

FIG. 9 illustrates a door hook 32 and a door hook receiver 120. The door hook 32 includes a shaft portion 134 and hook portion 136 extending from the plate 138. The hook portion 136 is angled at approximately 45° with respect to the shaft portion 134. This enhances insertion into the hook receiver 120. The receiver 120 includes an aperture 122 and ramps 124. The aperture 122 receives the hook 32 when the inner door 20 is fastened with the drum and tub assembly 14. The ramps 124 are down into the aperture 122 to provide a chamfer to enable the hook 32 to more readily enter the aperture 122. The hook 32 hits the ramps 124 and is easily moved into the aperture 122. Thus, the alignment ramps 124 account for a range of vertical and horizontal displacement of the tub. Thus, this could happen when wet towels or the like are within the drum and tub assembly 14 and there is a height disparity between the hook 32 and the hook receiver 120.

Turning to FIGS. 10 and 11 , a latch is illustrated. Here, when the inner door does not perfectly align with the latch 34, the inner door 20 can be pulled toward the latch 34 so that a complete closing can be accomplished between the latch 34 and the inner door 20. FIG. 10 illustrates an electronic switch 142 moving a hook 144. As the hook 144 is moved, it slides along a pin 146. As the hook 144 couples with the latch, the hook 144, due to the riding along the cam surface 148, moves away from the clamp pulling the inner door 20 into position on the tub and drum assembly 14.

FIG. 11 illustrates a manual configuration wherein the latch 150 is caught by the hook 152 and then the handle 154 is moved into a locking position which draws the handle and inner door toward the latch 150.

Turning to FIGS. 12 and 13 , an alignment finger 160 is illustrated. The alignment finger 168 is located inside of the outer door 18. The alignment finger 168 pushes the floating inner door 20 sidewise laterally, assisting in the door hook 32 and hook receiver 120 lining up.

In FIGS. 12A-12D, the hinge would include a rotating cam 162 positioned against a pinned cam follower 164. The cam follower 164 is coupled with the bar linkage 166 and the alignment finger 168 is on the other end of the bar linkage 166. As the door is in an open position, as in FIG. 12A, the finger is within the outer door 18. As the outer door 18 is closed, the cam 162 rotates against the follower 164. As this occurs, the bar 166 moves laterally extending the finger 168 out of the rear surface of the door 18 pushing against the inner door 20. As the door continues to close, the finger rotates back into the door as illustrated in FIG. 12C. Finally, when the door is closed, as shown in FIG. 12D, the finger 168 is within the door 18.

FIGS. 13A-13E illustrate a linkage where the bar 166 and finger 168 are coupled with a cam arm 172. As the door is closed, the cam arm 172 moves as illustrated in FIGS. 13A-13E. As the door is closed, the finger 168 is perpendicular to the inner door 18. As the door is closed, the finger 168 is retracted into the outer door 18 to enable the inner door 20 to be moved with respect to the outer door 18.

The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A combination washer/dryer comprising: a cabinet having an opening enabling access inside the cabinet; a drum and tub positioned within the cabinet; a washing circuit for washing items in the drum and tub; a drying circuit for drying the items in the drum and tub; and a door including an outer door and a floating inner door and sealing the drum and tub.
 2. The combination washer/dryer of claim 1, wherein the inner door is floatably coupled with the outer door.
 3. The combination washer/dryer of claim 2, further comprising a suspension suspending the inner door from the outer door.
 4. The combination washer/dryer of claim 3, wherein the suspension includes a pivot enabling the inner door to teeter with respect to the outer door, and a biasing member forcing a hook on the inner door away from the outer door.
 5. The combination washer/dryer of claim 3, wherein the inner door hangs off center of the outer door when the door is not connected with the cabinet.
 6. The combination washer/dryer of claim 5, wherein the suspension includes a plate mounted on the inner door and one or more biasing connectors coupled with the plate and outer door so that the plate slides with respect to the outer door to enhance connection of a hook with the drum and tub assembly.
 7. The combination washer/dryer of claim 5, wherein the suspension further includes one or more alignment pin coupled between the plate and the outer door compensating for twisting force on the inner door and transforming the force to the plate.
 8. The combination washer/dryer of claim 1, further comprising an alignment member on the door for supporting weight of the inner door and prohibiting lateral and longitudinal forces from being applied to a door latch.
 9. The combination washer/dryer of claim 1, wherein the inner door includes a hook and the drum and tub assembly includes a hook receiver, the hook receiver including an aperture and one or more ramps adjacent the aperture for leading the hook into the aperture to compensate for misalignment.
 10. The combination washer/dryer of claim 1, further comprising a motion limiter for prohibiting undue motion when opening the door while enabling motion of the door during a wash or dry cycle.
 11. The combination washer/dryer of claim 1, further comprising a latch on the drum or tub assembly for securing the inner door catch, the latch including an action for pulling the catch to a closed position.
 12. The combination washer/dryer of claim 1, further comprising an alignment device coupled with the outer door for positioning the inner door for enhancing coupling of the inner door with the drum and tub assembly.
 13. The combination washer/dryer of claim 12, wherein the alignment device includes a cam coupled with a linkage which, in turn, is coupled with a finger arm which moves the inner door.
 14. The combination washer/dryer of claim 11, wherein the latch includes a handle with a member for pulling the catch.
 15. A door for a washer or combination washer/dryer comprising: an outer door and a floating inner door for sealing a drum and tub assembly.
 16. The door of claim 15, further comprising a suspension suspending the inner door from the outer door.
 17. The door of claim 15, further comprising an alignment member on the door for supporting weight of the inner door and prohibiting lateral and longitudinal forces from being applied to a door latch.
 18. The door of claim 15, wherein the inner door includes a hook and the drum and tub assembly includes a hook receiver, the hook receiver including an aperture and one or more ramps adjacent the aperture for leading the hook into the aperture to compensate for misalignment.
 19. The door of claim 15, further comprising a motion limiter for prohibiting undue motion when opening the door while enabling motion of the door during a wash or dry cycle.
 20. The door of claim 15, further comprising a latch on the drum or tub assembly for securing the inner door catch, the latch including an action for pulling the catch to a closed position. 